Revolutionary War Pension of
John
Herron
(dated 22 Mar 1834)
New York 28718
John Herron
of Schoharie County in the State of New York who was a Private in the Company
commanded by Captain Marcellus of the Regt. commanded by Col. Vandyke in
the New York line for 6 months.
Inscribed on the Roll of New York at the rate of 20 dollars __ cents per
annum to commence on the 4th day of March 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 22 day of March 1834 and sent to B. Spafford
Middleburgh, N.Y.
Arrears to the 4th of March ‘34
$60
Semi-anl. allowances ending Sep 4, ‘34 $10
$70
Revolutionary claim June 7, 1832.
Recorded by Sam H. Page, clerk
Book E, Vo. 4, page 112
State of New York
Schoharie County on this 16th day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and thirty three personally appeared before me Thos P. Danforth
one of the judges of the court of common pleas of the county of Schoharie
in the state of New York John Herron a resident of the town of Middleburgh
in the county of Schoharie in the __ state of New York aged seventy six years
who first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following
declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed
June 7th 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the
following named officers and served as herein stated Colonel Vandyke, Major
Fink, Captain Marcellus, Lieutenant Abraham Becker, that he does not recollect
the names of the other officers nor the Christian names of the above named
except the Lieutenant, that he entered the service as a private in the month
of April in the year 1776, the day of the month he does not now remember
& left the service in the month of October in the year 1776 just six
months from the time he entered the service in that part of the state of
New York now the town of Middleburgh in the county of Schoharie, that he
entered the service as a volunteer and enlisted for six months That immediately
on his enlistment he joined a part of his company at Middleburgh under the
command of Lieutenant Baker and marched with them to Albany, at this place
the company and Regiment were organized that he stayed at Albany but a short
time when he marched with his Regiment to Fort Edward staid there a little,
more than a week, & then marched to Fort George on Lake George. There
were several regiments at Fort George, but whether they were Continental
or Militia he cannot tell, that he cannot tell who were their officers, that
he lay at Fort George about three months, that he then marched back to Fort
Edward with his Regiment & lay there nearly a month, then marched to
Fort Ann & lay there & between there & Fort Edward two or three
weeks & was engaged in repairing the road from Fort Edward to Ford Ann.
That he then marched to Fort Edward & staid there a short time when they
were ordered to Fort Stanwix that he marched with the Regiment to Lansingburgh,
where orders were received to return to Fort Edwards. That he marched back
to Fort Edward & lay there untill the expiration of his time of enlistment
when he was discharged and returned home. That he was in no Battle &
does not know that he saw any continental Regiment, Company, or Officer during
this time.
And the said Herron further saith that he resided in that part of the State
of New York now the Town of Middleburgh in the County of Schoharie from the
first day of December in the year 1776 until the first day of March in the
year 1781 that he was enrolled in the Militia of the State of New York as
early as the first day of December in the year 1776, That the Regiment and
company in which he was enrolled was at the time of his enrollment commanded
by the following named officers Colonel Peter Vroman, & Lieutenant Colonel
Peter Zelie, Major Thomas Eckerson, Captain George Richtmire, Lieutenant
John Bellinger Jr. that he does not recollect the name of the Ensign. That
he belonged to the said Regiment and company from the first day of December
in the year 1776 untill the first day of March in the year 1781. That the
said Regiment and company were commanded by the above named officer during
that time. That from the said first day of December in the year 1776 until
the first day of March in the year 1781 he was very frequently on duty in
the service of the United States for short periods of from two days to three
weeks at a time. That he does not recollect the number of different periods
he was on duty that he was during most of those periods under the command
of some officer of the Regiment or company to which he belonged but which
officer had the immediate command each period he cannot tell. That he does
not recollect the time when he entered at each or any of those periods, nor
the time when he left the same nor how long he was engaged on duty each period.
That he was not ___ a volunteer or substitute any of the above mentioned
periods to his knowledge. That he was ordered into the service by some officer
of his Regiment or company and entered the service in obedience to such order.
That in the year 1778 he marched under Colonel Vroman in pursuit of the Tories
and Indians under McDonald who had been murdering the inhabitants of Schoharie.
Colonel Harlsun? with a party of light horse from Albany was with the Americans.
That he was in an expedition to the Charloote River when Service a celebrated
tory was shot. That he was frequently into those parts of the State of New
York now the counties of Albany, Delaware, & Otsego. That he was frequently
in the Forts in Schoharie on garrison duty. That he was in the middle Fort
in Schoharie when Schoharie was burnt in 1780. That Major Woolsey commanded
at the Fort. That he does not recollect where he went each period. That some
part of this period Colonel Butler with a company of rifleman lay at the
middle & upper forts in Schoharie and small parties of Continental troops
were at Schoharie occasionally for short periods during this period. And
the said Herron saith that he is positive that he was engaged on duty in
the service of the United States as a private soldier from the first day
of December in the year 1776 untill the first day of March in the year 1781
at different periods in the whole amounting to at least one year & six
months.
And the said Herron further saith that he has no documentary evidence of
his services above stated. That he was born in Scotland. That in the Spring
of the year 1781 he removed from Middleburgh to that part of the State of
New York now the town of Bethlehem in the County of Albany where he resided
untill the close of the Revolutionary war when he returned to Middleburgh
where he has since resided. That he has no record of his age. That he received
a discharge at the expiration of his term of enlistment above set forth but
that it is lost. That he never received any other discharge from the service.
He hereby relinquishes his every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except
the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the
agency of any state.
Sworn to & subscribed the day and year aforesaid, before me Thos. __
Danforth one of the judges of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of
Schoharie in the State of New York.
John Herron (his mark)
We John Garretson a Clergyman residing the in the town of Middleburgh in
the county of Schoharie & State of New York & Freeman Staunton also
residing in the said town of Middleburgh in said county hereby certify that
we are well acquainted with John Herron who has sworn to & subscribed
the above declaration, that we believe him to be seventy six years of age,
that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to
have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion.
John Garretson
Freeman Stanton
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid before me Thos. __ Danforth
one of the judges of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Schoharie
State of New York
And I, the said Thos. __ Danforth judge as aforesaid do hereby declare my
opinion after the investigation of the matter, and putting the Interrogatories
prescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was a
Revolutionary Soldier and served as he states. And I the said Thos. _ Danforth
Judge as aforesaid do further certify that it appears to me that John Garretson
who has signed the preceeding certificate is a Clergyman resident in the
town of Middleburgh in the County of Schoharie State of New York. And that
Freeman Staunton who has also signed the same is a resident in the said town
of Middleburgh and is a creditable ...
[Note: the original fle was obviously longer, but there is a note indicating
that no family information is found in the file. ]
